WEST WINDSOR, N.J. (April 22, 2012) – After dropping its quarterfinal matchup against finals-bound Monmouth on Friday, the Saint Francis U. men's tennis team rebounded to beat Robert Morris (Pa.) on Saturday to clinch a fifth place finish at the 2012 Northeast Conference Championships.

The Red Flash, which entered the weekend as the sixth seed, fell 4-1 to the #3 Hawks to open postseason play, dropping to the consolation round.  The Flash turned things around on the #7 Colonials to close out its season with a 4-1 triumph.

“This was a great way to end the tournament,” said second-year SFU coach Paul Tobin.  “The win over Robert Morris put us tied at fifth place with Sacred Heart. We knew we had to win since our last match was tight, but we pulled it out 4-3. The boys played with their hearts, taking the doubles point and sweeping three singles.”

After a tight doubles win by Nate Fleming (Gas City, Ind./Missossonewa) and Andres Rosa (Carolina, Puerto Rico/Colegio la Piedad) at the no. 1 spot, Lawson Barter (Chicago, Ill./Loyola) and Juan Pardo (Bogota, Colombia/Colegio Andino) dominated the no. 3 spot for the first point of the match.  No. 2 doubles went unfinished.

In singles play, SFU won the race to three points to clinch the wins.  Rosa overcame a slow start with the no. 2 racquet to win a three-set match, culminating with a 10-4 tiebreaker victory.  Barter and Chris Jimenez (Bayside, N.Y./St. Francis Preparatory) picked up easier wins at the nos. 4 and 5 positions.

“Andres clinched the win, already down a set, he fought back in the second and won 10-5 in the tiebreaker,” said Tobin.  “Juan would have pulled out the win, being up 7-1 in the tiebreaker he stopped once the match was decided.”

Sergio Carvajal (Nueva Esparta, Venezuela/U.E. Fray Elias Maria Sendra) earned SFU's only point on Friday, defeating Monmouth's no. 3 player, 6-1, 6-1.

The Red Flash wraps up its season with an 8-14 record.